Windows 7 Taskbar resets on every login

I like to reorder my Taskbar a bit, other than the Windows 7 default is. I use two "rows", the lower is for quicklaunch and other toolbars:

Taskbar should look like this

This works perfectly, as long as I don't log off from the computer. Every time I log in, Windows 7 has messed up/reset the toolbar positions like this:

Taskbar looks like this

So I have to drag them into position again and again, every morning. Fixing the taskbar positions won't help, I tried to google for the problem but it does not seem to be very common. Does anyone recognize that problem and has a solution?

Update: This is not the AutoLogon bug. AutoLogon is off. We have installed Novell at our company, and it does not matter wether I log directly onto the Novell network or only to the computer first and to Novell later.

Update2: I get the same issue when I logon without Novell, i.e. when I log on only to the computer. When I boot in safe mode, the taskbar looks essentially the same:

Taskbar looks like this in safe mode

Update3: KB979155 says it's "not applicable to my system". Creating a neew user is not an option since I don't have the admin privileges to do that - I have almost any other local admin privileges, though.

Arne Mertz

Posted 2013-06-24T06:49:24.617

Reputation: 153

Does this happen if the InstallShield toolbar is turned off? – harrymc – 2013-06-26T09:22:47.727

Yes. The "Installshield" bar is just another toolbar folder containing links and batch files, just like the quick launch bar. – Arne Mertz – 2013-06-26T09:28:59.173

Does this happen when booting into Safe mode? – harrymc – 2013-06-26T09:46:46.450

@harrymc: I updated the answer - happes in safe mode as well – Arne Mertz – 2013-06-26T12:12:47.720

I wish more questions had awesome screenshots like this! – Austin ''Danger'' Powers – 2013-07-01T02:08:59.037

Answers

I think that is the problem: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979155

FIX: The Taskbar is reset to the default settings when you use the "Automatically Log On" feature in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2

Please take a look at this article as well, here you can find possible solutions and download: http://www.askvg.com/fix-windows-7-taskbar-resets-to-default-settings-if-automatically-log-on-feature-is-enabled/

duDE

Posted 2013-06-24T06:49:24.617

Reputation: 14 097

Thanks for the links. However, it did not solve my problem, since AutoLogon is off. – Arne Mertz – 2013-06-24T08:54:42.067

1@ArneMertz: I would still try to install KB979155, even if it is supposed to only apply to the case of "Automatically Log On". – harrymc – 2013-06-26T12:41:49.060

I tried to install the hotfix but only got "This update is not applicable to your computer" (or similar - in German) – Arne Mertz – 2013-06-26T15:13:32.037

Have you tried this link (you need to sign in): http://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/KBHotfix.aspx?kbnum=979155&kbln=en-us ?

– duDE – 2013-06-26T15:26:26.647

1If you downloaded the correct fix, this error means that it is either already included or irrelevant to your system. – harrymc – 2013-06-26T15:27:58.060

Figured that, thanks. The fix does not seem to be included in the system, at least I could not spot it in the list of installed updates. I am pretty sure I downloaded the correct fix, for 64bit Windows. I tried two different downloads, one from MS and the other from Lenovo (I'm on a ThinkPad) – Arne Mertz – 2013-07-01T08:30:54.760

I arrived to this question by having the same problem as the OP. I have solved it by following some advice by a guy called 'Paul C' from the Microsoft Support Chat. I write down my solution here in case someone else is interested.

As Paul suggested, I strongly suspect the problem has to do with some 3rd party program which messes up with the taskbar. I have a Lenovo Thinkpad (as, I suspect, the OP may have had) X230 and I suspect my third party app was the Lenovo Battery Gauge. If that is your case, you should deactivate it following this link in reverse.

Anyway, whether you have a Lenovo or not, just set up the taskbar the way you like. Then press Windows-R and enter msconfig, press Enter. Click on the services tab, click on 'Hide all Microsoft services' box to deselect it, click on disable all and press OK. It will ask you to restart. Do it.

Hopefully, after restarting you will have the taskbar just like you left it. If that is the case, open msconfig again, hide all the windows services again, and re-enable all. Press OK, restart again. If your taskbar appears as you left it, you have won this game and your issue is solved. You may need to re-do these steps every time you change the taskbar, I don't know, but it is better than having to do it in every reboot.

Jesus Martinez Garcia

Posted 2013-06-24T06:49:24.617

Reputation: 121

1Thanks for the walkthrough. I hope it helps people who still have the problem. I can not confirm that it was a Thinkpad - it was my work PC several years ago. – Arne Mertz – 2019-08-06T12:52:14.413

Create a new user profile and see if the problem persists. I've seen this happen with dying profiles.

Running utilities like chkdsk and system file checker may solve your problem. I would try creating a new user profile and failing that, the above utilities.

Scandalist

Posted 2013-06-24T06:49:24.617

Reputation: 2 767

I agree. See if it's a user profile corruption issue and just re-create the user profile if so. I doubt the problem would return after that. – Austin ''Danger'' Powers – 2013-07-01T02:11:35.550

sadly that is not an option, since I don't have full admin privileges. What do you mean by "dying" profile? I've had that problem since the profile was created, thats have a year now. – Arne Mertz – 2013-07-01T08:27:56.030

Not having admin privileges is a major roadblock to you solving this. Are you on a work PC? – Scandalist – 2013-07-01T20:29:33.770

@Scandalist yes, it's a work PC, but I did not say that I have no admin privileges at all. I double checked, and I could indeed create a new user profile, but it would not help much, because I cannot log on to the company network with that new profile. – Arne Mertz – 2013-07-02T09:36:33.923

I had one simlair problem once where the desktop symbols always rearranged after each logon/logoff.

The problem was, that the userprofile had troubles to write the serverprofile.

I changed the profil from server/remote to a local profile and the problem was gone.

You find it via [WIN] + [BREAK] --> advanced system settings (on the side) --> user profiles.

syss

Posted 2013-06-24T06:49:24.617

Reputation: 273

I already have a local profile. Can you tell me where the taskbar arrangement is stored? – Arne Mertz – 2013-07-01T10:27:00.833

1@ArneMertz - Taskbar is typically stored in C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar Other info is in the registry... – nerdwaller – 2013-07-01T18:08:52.000

Since you say that the problem occurs when booting into Safe mode where only Microsoft software can execute, this is then a problem (bug) with Windows.

You can try installing KB979155, as suggested by @duDE, just in case this fixes this problem in other cases than only for "Automatically Log On".

Otherwise, you should report the problem to Microsoft.

Up until Microsoft fixes this problem (if ever), you could try using a third-party taskbar reorganizer such as the $5 Bins.

harrymc

Posted 2013-06-24T06:49:24.617

Reputation: 306 093